Monday, March 5, 2012

SAPP eligible to stand in the 13th general election

SAPP eligible to contest, never said "blood in Harris's hands"

Former Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee assured Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) members and supporters that the party is eligible to contest in the 13th general election despite being ordered by the High Court here to pay Tan Sri Harris Salleh some RM1 million in libel damages.

Yong who is also SAPP President said that the High Court order does not disqualify the party from contesting in the coming general elections.

"The order to pay RM1 million to Tan Sri Harris Salleh is not an offence. It is only a debt so in the aspect of the law, so SAPP candidates are eligible to contest in the coming general election," he told party members, supporters and crowds at the Gaya Street Sunday Market Fair, here.

Harris who is also former Chief Minister filed libel suit against Yong and SAPP over statements about the Sabah Air Nomad aircraft which crashed at Sembulan waters, here on 6 June, 1976.

The tragedy better known as Double Six saw newly elected Chief Minister Tun Fuad Stephens and his three cabinet members Datuk Salleh Sulong, Datuk Peter Mojuntin and Datuk Chong Thien Vun as well as seven others killed.

Yong said he decided to tell party members and supporters of the current situation because some of them feared that SAPP might be ineligible to contest in the coming election.

Commenting more on the judgement of the High Court,Yong clarified that he had never said the words or said anything that could mean that "Harris had bloods on his hands", as mentioned by the court judgement that Yong has insinuated that there is blood on Harris's hands.

"To be sure, I had check the notes of proceedings, the original press statements and all our words inside and outside the Court. There is no such thing that I referred to blood in Harris's hands. Because the judge made these remarks, some people are confused and asked me about it. I don't know where the court got those words," he added, "but I want to clarify that I never said those words".

He added that SAPP would continue to press Putrajaya to re-open the case of the Double Six tragedy.

He said that Sabah people deserves to know the truth behind the tragedy because until today the findings have yet to be made public.

Yong went on saying that soon after the tragedy, Sabah lost 95 per cent oil revenues to the Federal Government, resulting the State to become the poorest in Malaysia.